Elevator safety appliance.



S. BISGBGLIA & L. N. ELKAN.

ELEVATOR SAFETY APPLIANCE.

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s. BISOBGLIA & L. N. ELKAN.

ELEVATOR SAFETY APPIIIANGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-7, 1910.

Patented June 27, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

ELEVATOR SAFETY APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1911.

Application filed April 7, 1910. Serial No. 553,956.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, SALVATORE BISOEGLIA and LEE N. ELKAN, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Elevator Safety Appliances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to pro vide an improved mechanism for automatically locking and arresting an elevator in case of breaking of the hoisting cable.

It consists in the features of construction and their combination shown and described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical transverse medial section of an elevator embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section at the line 22 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section at the line 33 on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section at the line 44L on Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section at the line 55 on Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section at the line 66 on Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a section at the line 7-7 on Fig. 6.

The elevator cage is represented by a frame structure comprising the vertical side bars, A, A, top bars, B, and bottom bars, C, on which there is shown a platform or floor, D. The elevator is represented running between vertical guide posts, E, E.

F is the hoisting cable, G a cable connected to a counter balance weight H, which travels up and down along one of the posts, E, and is provided with a C-shaped clasp, engaging run-ways or grooves, a, in the sides of said post to retain the counterweights in juxtaposition to the latter.

For engagement of the elevator cage with the posts, there are mounted on the elevator cage frame, preferably at two points in the height thereof, one at the bottom and the other near the top, roller bearing blocks, 5, 5, toward the top, and 6, 6, toward the bot tom. In each of the blocks, 5, 5, there are journaled rollers, 7, 7, and in each of the blocks, 6, 6, there are journaled similar rollers, 8, 8, the two rollers of each pair facing each other at opposite sides of the inter-,

mediate post E, but spaced off therefrom sufiiciently to admit between the post and the rollers, wedge bars 9, 9. These wedge bars hear at their inner edges against the opposite sides of the posts A, being formed at I their outer edges with two outwardly projecting slopes, 9 9", the first in position to cooperate with the upper rollers, 7 7, and the second to cooperate with the lower rollers, 8, 8.

To the lower horizontal cage frame bar or sill C, there is secured at the middle of its length a depending loop, 10, between whose side bars there is lodged a transverse bar, 11, which at its opposite ends has forked cross bars, 11 which fork arms embrace the posts, E, E respectively, and extend under and form supports for the lower ends of the wedge bars, 9. A bow spring, 12, lodged at its middle point in the lower end of the loop, 10, bears at its ends upon the under side of the bar, 11, tending yieldingly to uphold it and thereby uphold the wedge bars, 9, relatively to the elevator cage. For adjusting the tension of the spring, it is lodged upon a block, 12, which is. engaged in the loop and adjustable therein against the spring by a screw, 12 provided with a set nut, 12, for retaining it in adjustment. For retaining the spring in the loop there are pro vided vertical guides, 10 and 10, extend ing down from the sill, 0, near the ends of the spring guarding it laterally, and to prevent endwise displacement of the spring, it

is provided with laterally projecting lugs,

12*, outside the guides, 10*, and 10 respectively, at a little distance therefrom, sufiicientto allow the spring a little longitudinal movement at the point where it extends between the guides, to accommodate the extension under compression at the middle point of the how. The spring being lodged in the loop, 10, without attachment thereto, is free to rock slightly at its support on the loop, so as to force the two ends of the bar, 11, yieldingly upward without requiring that the movement of the two bars thus produced shall be in all instances precisely equal. When the wedge bars are thus forced and held upward, the wedge slopes or inclines, 9 and 9 of said wedge bars, being forced against the rollers, 7 and 8, respectively, cause the wedge bars to be wedged toward and pressed against the opposite sides of the respective posts, E, which they embrace with a firmness depending upon the tension of the spring, 12, added to that of the other springs hereinafter described which operate upon the wedge bars separately. The initial frictional engagement which is thus produced between the posts and the wedge ars tends to still further cause the bars to be wedged upward relatively to the elevator cage if the latter is descending, and eventually the frictional engagement due to such wedging will arrest the descent of the elevator and hold it safely locked to the posts. Such action of the wedge bars it will be un derstood is designed to occur only in case of breaking or disengagement of the hoisting cable, the wedge bars being at all other times inactive by reason of not being pressed a ainst the posts E, for frictional engagement therewith; and they are prevented from being thus pressed against the posts during the ordinary operation of the elevator car while its weight is carried by the hoisting cable, and the draft connect-ions which will now be described.

To the upper transverse bar, B, of the elevator car frame which may be called the draft beam, there are pivoted levers, 13, 13, having their pivots, 13 journaled in the brackets, 14:, bolted to said draft beam. At their inner or proximate ends, the two levers, 13, 13, are connected by an evener or draft link, 15, through which a draft rod, 3, extends with freedom of longitudinal movement therethrough except as limited by the stop hereinafter mentioned. Said draft rod extends also down through the draft bar, B, and is provided with a head, 16, below the draft bar. A stop nut, 16 is provided on the draft rod, 3, below the evener or draft link, 15, to engage the latter and thereby operate the levers, 13, withthe effect of thrusting them down at their outer ends 7 when the upward pull of the hoisting cable is experienced on the draft link or evener.

- At their outer ends the levers, 13, 13, have forks, 13 which loosely engage the Posts, E, for guidance thereon, said fork terminals engaging with the upper end of the wedge bars, 9, 9, respectively in slots in said upper end portions of the wedge bars, so that the latter are operated positively both up and down by the corresponding action of the levers, said wedge bars being stopped in the downward thrust by abutments, 28, on said bars encountering the top of the cross bar, B, of the car frame.

The stop nut, 16 is at a sufficient distance from the head, 16, on the lower end of the draft rod, 3, to allow the draft link and levers, 13, to move from full line position to dotted line position shown in Fig. l, the dotted line position being that assumed when the weight of the elevator cage is being supported by the draft rod to which the hoisting cable, F, is attached, and the full line position being that at which the parts are moved by the action of the springs above and hereinafter described upon the wedge bars when the draft rod, 3, is released by the slackening or breaking of the cable, F. At the dotted line position of the levers, the

wedge bars, 9, are thrust downward to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, at which positions they are free from frictional engagement with the posts, E, and do not retard the movement of the elevator cage either up or down. At the full line position to which they are thrust by the reaction of the springs when the cable breaks, the wedge bars are forced upward relatively to the ele' vator cage and rollers 7, and 8, and the wedge slopes of the wedge bars coming into operation against the rollers, the bars are thereby wedged tightly against the posts, E, the frictional engagement increasing, as above described, so long as the elevator cage continues to descend after the cable breaks until it is stopped, which occurs when the frictional engagement becomes sufficient. To accommodate the parts to Variations in the surfaces which are to be engaged, the draft link or evener, 15, is preferably mounted loosely on the rod, 3, as indicated; so that it can tip slightly to accommodate any excess of longitudinal movement of one pair of wedge bars over that of the other. For conveniently attaching the cable, G, which carries the counterweight, H, so that it may operate on the cage at substantially the same point as that at which the hoisting cable operates, arms, 20, 20, are extended up rigidly from the bar, B, at opposite sides of the evener, 15, constituting a fork into whose upper ends the cable G is made fast.

A variety of circumstances may afiect differently the distance to which the several wedge bars may have to move longitudinally in order to effect their necessary frictional engagement with the sides of the guide posts, E, and it may happen that the two wedge bars which engage the same post at opposite sides thereof may require different longitudinal movement for their proper and most effective grip. In order that in any and every instance the full value of all four wedge bars for gripping their respective posts, E, may be obtained in the emergency which calls them into service, it is preferable to provide for each of said bars a separate and independent spring to bring it into initial frictional engagement with the posts, and for this purpose there are provided in addition to the spring, 12, which operates upon all the wedge bars, separate springs, 22, 22, 22, 22, one for each of the wedge bars, operating each upon its own wedge bar only, for yieldingly thrusting the wedge bar upward, that is in the direction for initial frictional engagement with the post. Preferably for mounting these springs there is provided a cross bar, 23, upon each of the side bars, A, A, of the cage, toward the lower end of the wedge bars, and on the cross bars there are mounted the springs, 22, which are shown each as folded around a stud, 25, projecting from the cross bar, having one end bearing upon the stop pin, 26, and the other end engaging under a shoulder, 9, of the wedge bar, for yieldingly thrusting the latter upward.

In order to prevent entirely the frictional engagement of the wedge bars with the sides of the posts except when said wedge bars are in service for arresting the elevator car in case of breaking or slackening of the hoisting cable, said wedge bars and the side bars of the cage are cooperatively provided with features which cause the bars to be forced outward away from the post by the downward thrust of the levers, 13, on said wedge bars, when the hoisting cable is operating to carry the weight of the cage and load. The most convenient construction for this purpose consists in sloping shoulders, 9 on the inner edges of the wedge bars near their upper and lower ends respectively, said shoulders near the upper end encountering the upper lateral edges of the draft bar, B, when the wedge bars are thrust downward, and the said sloping shoulders at the lower end encountering in a similar manner the lateral edges of the lower bar, O, both said bars B and C, being forked at their ends for engaging the posts, E, E, and the encounter of the sloping shoulders of the draft bars being with their forked ends, 27, which project at opposite sides of said posts in the pat-l1 of the inner edges of the wedge bars.

It will be observed that the levers, 13, having positive engagement with the wedge bars, operate to withdraw them from their frictional engagement with the posts, positively as soon as the hoisting cable takes the weight of the cage and load, thereby overcoming or obviating any danger of the wedges sticking in the position into which they are forced for arresting the fall of the carriage.

We claim:

1. In combination with an elevator cage and vertical guide posts for the same, wedge bars mounted on the cage for vertical movement with respect thereto positioned for frictionally engaging the guide posts; levers fulcrumed on the cage and having their ends slotted; a draft rod having limited vertical movement with respect to the cage; a yoke carried on the draft rod; studs projecting from said yoke engaged by the slotted levers; studs on the wedge bars also engaged by the slotted levers; spring devices and connections by which they yieldingly actuate the wedge bars in the direction for engagement of the latter with the guide posts respectively, said wedge bars and the side members of the cage being provided with cooperating features for withdrawing the wedge bars from the guide posts, in the movement of the bars in opposition to said spring devices.

2. In combination with an elevator cage and vertical guide posts for the same; wedge bars mounted on the cage for vertical movement with respect thereto in position for frictionally engaging the guide posts; a draft rod having a limited vertical movement with respect to the cage; spring devices for yieldingly actuating the wedge bars in the direction for engagement with the guide posts; means connecting the draft rod with the wedge bars for positively moving them in the opposite direction; the wedge bars having surfaces slightly inclined to their path of movement, and projections on the cage positioned to encounter such surfaces for positive disengagement of the wedge bars and the guide posts.

3. In combination with an elevator cage and vertical guide posts for the same,

wedge bars mounted on the cage for vertical movement with respect thereto for engaging the guide posts; levers fulcrumed on the cage and engaging the wedge bars for movement of the latter; a draft rod having a limited vertical movement with respect to the cage; connections for transmitting such movement to the levers; spring devices and connections by which they yieldingly actuate the wedge bars in the direction for engagement of the latter with the guide posts respectively, said wedge bars being cut back on their edges which face the guide posts to form sloping shoulders and rigid studs projecting from the side members of the cage in position for encounter of said sloping shoulders in the movement of the bars in opposition to the spring devices for withdrawing the wedge bars from the guide posts in such movement.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Chicago, Illinois, this 5th day of April, 1910.

SALVATORE BISOEGLIA. LEE N. ELKAN.

WVitnesses C. J. CHRISTOFFEL, M. GERTRUDE ADY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

